Those opposed to getting the coronavirus vaccine are joking that they will say they are vegan to dodge it.
The Telegraph reports that vegans will be exempt if companies introduce compulsory vaccination rules in Britain because their beliefs are protected by employment law. This is because the vaccines have been tested on animals, which vegans may be against.
Inevitably, this means ‘funny people’ are pretending that they will adopt the cause because they do not wish to be jabbed. First up, Laurence Fox, who posted a number of tweets claiming he identified as a vegan as of now.
From this day forward I self identify as a trans vegan.
— Laurence Fox ✌🏼🇬🇧✌🏼 (@LozzaFox) July 30, 2021
I will only eat plant based food and medium rare sirloin steaks. And chicken, pork scratchings and salami.
Of course, Fox is not employed by any business so he does not need to worry about workplace vaccinations anyway. But we digress.
Following his lead, numerous other people said they were also turning to veganism:
Became vegan overnight, since hearing about exemption from vaccines.
— 🇬🇧 Dan 🇬🇧 (@PatriotUk85) July 30, 2021
The face you pull at work when you've just dodged the jab by identifying as vegan: pic.twitter.com/0aZFgtX4jA
— Scotty #NoVaxPassports 📵🌱 (@ScottyVsTyranny) July 29, 2021
I am proud to announce I am know officially identifying as VEGAN.
— Murder In Slow Motion🇬🇧🇬🇧🌸 (@mism_2020) July 30, 2021
*becomes vegan*
— Brilant Krasniqi (@brilantbk) July 29, 2021
And suddenly all us “antivaxxers” are like this 🤣 doesn’t taste too bad. pic.twitter.com/8hJtUSJjqb
— Live 4now 4get forever (@lincslass86) July 29, 2021
we're all vegan now bros right? https://t.co/DONfEDmmhW pic.twitter.com/5tU6S03XQg
— 👁👄👁 (@CryptHoeXOXO) July 30, 2021
I'm Vegan now.
— Moon Rockets (@BigBellEnergy) July 30, 2021
Other ACTUAL vegans, however, urged their fellow vegans to get the jab, arguing that failing to do so will harm humans and that using medicine that has been tested on animals is a special case:
I’m vegan and I’ve had both vaccinations just like most other vegans
— Joanna Ⓥ (@Missgabillard) July 29, 2021
I'm vegan, I'm aware the vaccine isn't vegan, but as per my beliefs that the most important aspect of veganism is the overall reduction in suffering, If you are also vegan or vegetarian, PLEASE get the vaccine.
— 💫 Tͭhͪiͥcͨcͨaͣcͨhͪuͧ Rͬoͦtͭuͧn̾dͩuͧs̾ 🍔🎈💕 (@SocialistBeach1) July 29, 2021
But speaking to The Telegraph, Jeanette Rowley, a rights advocate at the Vegan Society, said she has received about 100 queries from vegans who do not wish to take the vaccine and are worried about their employment situation.
“That they’re very affected, psychologically, to have to confront this dilemma,” she said.
Rowley said many ethical vegans have chosen to take vaccines after thinking about their “wider responsibility to people”.
“That’s not to say the other vegans who don’t want it don’t have that responsibility, it’s just that the dynamic for them is a lot more difficult to work out.”
A spokesman for Lewis Silkin, a law firm, added: “Some ethical vegans may disagree with vaccinations on the basis that they will inevitably have been tested on animals. Ethical veganism has previously been found by an [employment tribunal] to amount to a belief, capable of being protected.”
If vegans have a legitimate objection to the vaccine then that’s a matter for them. Anti-vaxxers, on the other hand, may need a refresher in the lessons of comedy.
